Anchor



B. F. COLVEN Feb. 9, 1932.

ANCHOR Filed July 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l B. F. COLVIN Feb. 9, 1932.

ANCHOR Filed July 31, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet gwuento'a Patented Feb. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES BENJAMIN F. COLVIN, F DETROIT, MICHIGAN ANCHOR Application filed July 31,

This invention relates to an anchor adapted to be embedded in the ground, andespecially useful in bracing fencev posts, telegraph and telephone poles and the hke The general object of the invention is to provide an improved anchor of this kind, which is ordinarily connected to the end of a guy line and driven into the ground, and

which has one or more fiukes adapted to be spread after the anchor is set in the ground A more specific object is to provide an anchor which is especially constructed so that it may be conveniently driven into the ground and which has pivoted flukes, with the pivots so arranged that there is substantially no bending strain imposed thereon during either the driving or the spreading of the flukes, or by a subsequent pull on the guy line. a

The invention also includes an improved arrangement of springs which tend to force the fluke or flukes outwardly from the body portion of the anchor.

The specific construction of the invention, together with the objects and advantages thereof, will be more particularly explained in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an anchor constructed according to the invention.

Figure 2 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a section taken substantially on the line 1-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l, but showing the flukes after they are spread.

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line'66 of Figure 1.

The device, which constitutes the subject matter of the present invention, comprises ashaft 7 which is of sufficient length to permit the anchor to be driven a suitable distance into the ground and to leave the upper. end of the shaft at or above the surface. lhe upper'end of the shaft 7 is provided with an eye 8 for the attachment of the guy line, and its lower end is preferably threaded as shown 1829. Serial No. 382,556.

at 9, for connection with a tapered or sharpened point or body portion 10. Alined pivot pins 11 are secured at the upper end of the point 10 on opposite sides of the lower end portion of the shaft '7, the outer ends of these pins being preferably secured in ears 12 extending upwardly at the outer edges of the point and the inner ends of the pins being set in the socket '13, which receives the threaded end 9 of the shaft. A pair of fiukes 14 are arranged on opposite sides of the shaft 7 adjacent its lower end-and are formed with. downwardly projecting ears 15 j ournaled on the pins 11. Springs 16 extend about the pin 11 and bear against the inner faces of the flukes l t and are adapted to force the fiukes outward- 1y after the anchor has been driven into the ground. These flukes are formed with divergent upper ends 17, to aid in spreading the fiukes when an upward pullis exerted on the guy line. When the anchor is being driven in, howeventhe flukes 14 are adapted to be held closely against the shaft 7 by means of a clip 18, which is slidably mounted on the shaft 7 and is adapted to grip the up 7 per ends 17 of the flukes as'shown in Figures 1, 2 and 6. A peripheral flange or collar 19 is formed on or secured to the shaft 7 andis formed with cam surfaces 20 so arranged that a partial rotation of the shaft 7 with respect to the anchor will cam the clip 18 upwardly and release the fiukes. After the anchor has been driven into the ground, therefore, the shaft 7 is turned approximately to the left, as shown in Figure 4, thus forcing the clip 18 upwardly and releasing the fiukes, whereupon the latter, under influence of the springs 16, are forced outwardly until they assume the position shown in Figure 5. I 90 Each spring 16 is formed sothat it has a double action. That is, it has two bowed portions 21, which are compressed against each other between the inner surfaces of the fiukes 1a andinitially exert a powerful pressure against the flukes to force them outward- 1y at the moment they are released from theclip 18. The central circular portion 22 of the spring is also .tensioned throughoutits circumference and acts independently of the bowed portions 21 to cause a continued pressure to be exerted against the fiukes until they assume the position shown in Figure 5. This final spreading movement of the flukes is also aided by the engagement of the out turned ends 17 of'the flukes as the point of the anchor is drawn upwardly by a pull exerted on the guy line.

The upper end of the point 10 is formed with arcuate recesses 23 to receive the lower edges of the fiukes 14 as they are spread. Overhanging flanges 24 are formed at the inner edges of these recesses, to be engaged by lugs 25 formed on the flukes. When the fiukes are s read therefore it will be see;

that the lugs 20 engage underneath tne flanges 24 and the flukcs fulcrum against shoulders 26 formed at the upper edges of the point 10,

thus takin the aressure exerted b the engagement of the flukes with the ground and the resistance against an upward pull on the guy line without causing any bending strain on the pivots 11. It will also be understood that the driving force imparted to the shaft 7 is transmitted directly to the point 10 so that there is no possibility of the pivot pin becoming distorted.

In the operation of this improved anchor,

the flukes offer substantially no resistance as the anchor is driven into the ground. lChe driving force is transmitted directly to the point 10. Theflukes may then be released merely by giving the shaft 7 a quarter turn to the left. Then the fiuhes are immediately forced outwart 1' and as there is a tendenc for the anchor point to be drawn upwardly,

the flukes will be further diverted outwardl and there will be substantially no packing of the earth between the flukes and the point, so that the anchor will readily assume the position shown in Figure 5.

Although I have shown and described the specific construction of the invention in the form which seems at present to be most desirable, it is apparent that various modifications may be made therein without any material departure from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

hat I claim is:

1. An anchor comprising a point, a shaft connected with the point for driving the same, flukes movable outwardly with respect to the point, means engageable over the upper ends of the flukes for positively holding said flukes inwardly, and means operable by a relative rotary movement of the shaft to force the holding means upwardly for optionally releasing said fiukes.

2. An anchor comprising a pair of flukes mounted for relative outward movement, releasable means for holding said flukes inwardly, and resilient means for urging said fiukes outwardly when the holding means is released, said resilient means comprising a spring with difierent port1ons capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on said fiukes.

3. An anchor comprising a shaft, a pair of flukes mounted for outward movement relative to the lower end of said shaft, a clip engageable with said flukes to hold them inwardly, and a cam operable by a movement of said shaft to force the clip out of engagement with the flukes to release the latter.

4:. An anchor comprising a shaft, a pair of finkes mounted for outward movement relative to the lower end of said shaft, releasable means for holding said flukes inwardly, means operable by a movement of said shaft to release said holding means, and resilient means for urging the flukes outwardly when said holding means is released, said resilient. means comprising a spring with different portions capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on said flukes. p

5. An anchor com rising a shaft, a pair of fiukes mounted fdr outward movement relative to the lower end of said shaft, a clip engageable with said flukes to hold them in wardly, a cam operable by a movement of said shaft to force the clip out of engagement with the fiulres to release the latter, and resilient means for urging the flukes outwardly when the holding means is released, said resilient means comprisinga spring with different portions capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on the fiukes.

6. An anchor comprising a body portion, a fluke pivoted thereto and adapted to swing outwardly to anchoring position, releasable means for holding the fluke in its inner position, resilient means for swinging the fluke to anchoring position when the holding means is released, and means on the body portion providing 'a support and fulcrum for said fluke independently of its pivot when the fluke is in anchoring position.

7. An anchor comprising a body portion, a fluke pivoted thereto, releasable means for holding the fluke inwardly with respect to the body portion, resilient means for swing-c ing the fluke outwardly to anchoring posi-- tion when the holding means is released, said body portion being formed with a shoulderengageable by the fluke to constitute a fulcrum therefor and with a projection engageable by the inner end of the fluke, saidzprojection and shoulder constitutingjmeans for supporting the fluke independently of 1ts pivot when the fluke is held in anchoring. position.

8. An anchor comprising a body portion,

a fluke pivoted thereto, releasablemeans for holding the fluke inwardly with relation to the body, re'silient mea-ns for urging said fluke outwardly to anchoring position when the holding means is released, said res lient means comprising a spring with different portions capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on said fluke, and means on the body portion providing a support and fulcrum for said fluke, independently of its pivot, when the fluke is held in anchoring position.

9. An anchor comprising a body portion, a fluke pivoted thereto, releasable means for holding the fluke inwardly with relation to the body, resilient means for urging said fluke outwardly to anchoring position when the holding means is released, said resilient means comprising a spring with different portions capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on said fluke, said body portion being formed with a shoulder engageable by an intermediate portion of the fluke and with a projection engageable by the inner end of the fluke, said projection and shoulder together constituting means for supporting the fluke independently of its pivot when the fluke is held in anchoring position.

10. An anchor comprising a body portion,

, a fluke pivoted thereto, releasable means for holding said fluke inwardly with respect to the body, a shaft connected with said body portion, means operable by the movement of said shaft to release the holding means, resilient means for urging said fluke outwardly to anchoring position when the holding means is released, said resilient means comprising a spring with different portions capable of acting successively and independently to exert pressure on the fluke, and means on the body portion providing a support and fulcrum for said fluke independently of the pivot when the fluke is in anchoring position.

11. An anchor comprising a shaft, a fluke having a pivotal outward movement relative to the lower end of the shaft, a clip engageable with the fluke to hold it inwardly, a cam operable by a movement of the shaft to force the clip out of engagement with the fluke to release the latter, resilient means for urging the fluke outwardly to anchoring position when the holding means is released, and a support for the fluke including ashoulder engageable by the fluke to constitute a fulcrum therefor, and a projection engageable by the inner end of the fluke, said projection and shoulder constituting means for supporting the fluke independently of its pivot when the fluke is held in anchoring position.

12. An anchor comprising a body portion, a fluke pivoted for movement toward and away from the body portion, releasable means for holding the fluke in its innermost position adjacent the body portion, and resilient means for urging said fluke outwardly to anchoring position when the holding means is released, said resilient means comprising a spring with different portions adapted to act successively and independently to exert as; pressure against the fluke.

13. An anchor comprising a body portion, a I

with the fluke to hold it in its innermost position, a shaft connected with the body portion for driving it into the ground, and a cam operable by a movement of the shaft relative to the body portion to force said clip out of engagement with the fluke to release the latter.

14. An anchor comprising a pair of flukes mounted for spreading movement, releasable means for holding said flukes inwardly, resilient means tending to swing said flukes outwardly when the holding means is released, said resilient means including a spring with an intermediate curved portion under compression, and opposed bowed portions compressed against each other between the inner faces of the flukes when said holding means is operating, whereby the bowed portions will impart an initial outward impulse to the flukes and the intermediate curved portion will subsequently continue to impart a further outward impulse to the flukes when said holding means is released.

15. An anchor comprising a body portion, a shaft connected with the body portion, a pair of flukes mounted on the body portion for spreading movement about an axis, means for holding said flukes inwardly, resilient means tending to swing said flukes outwardly when the holding means is released, said resilient means including a spring with an intermediate portion curved under tension about the axial line of the flukes, and opposed bowed portions compressed against each other between the inner faces of the flukes when said holding means is operating, whereby the bowed portions will impart an initial outward impulse to the flukes and the intermedi ate curved portion will subsequently continue to impart a further outward impulse to the flukes when said holding means is released, and means for releasing said holding means by manipulation of the shaft after the anchor is in the ground.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

BENJAMIN F. COLVIN. 

